Two people were injured when a train carrying around 50 passengers crashed through buffers at Enfield Town station in north London (London Fire Brigade/PA)
(Picture: PA Media)The driver of a London Overgroundtrain which crashed through the buffers in Enfield has been charged with falling asleep at the controls, a court heard.
Erkan Mehmet, 40, was at the helm of the morning service from Liverpool Street station to Enfield Town which derailed on October 12 last year.
Following an investigation, the driver has now been charged with endangering the safety of passengers on the train and allegedly being unfit for work through drink or drugs.
Mehmet appeared at Highbury Corner magistrates court on Monday, when his case was sent to Inner London crown court to be heard.
According to the charges, Mehmet, from Waltham Abbey in Essex, is accused “by a wilful omission or neglect, namely fell asleep whilst the driver of a train service” of “endangering the safety of a person conveyed or being in or upon the railway”.
In the second charge, he allegedly “worked on a railway as a driver whilst unfit to carry out that work through drink or drugs”.
At the magistrates court hearing, Mehmet indicated not guilty pleas as the case was sent for a trial by jury.
Two people were treated for injuries after the crash at Enfield Town station, while around 50 commuters had to be evacuated by firefighters.
At the time, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan promised a “full inquiry to get to the bottom of this", as services at Enfield Town were suspended for the day.
Ellie Burrows, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said: "At approximately 8.20am a train hit the buffer stops at Enfield Town at slow speed.
"The driver is being treated for shock and there are reports of a few minor injuries.”
In a statement, Arriva Rail London said: “We always put the safety of our customers and colleagues first and continue to provide assistance to investigation by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB).”
Mehmet was released on unconditional bail by the court until a pre-trial hearing at Inner London crown court on August 2.
